Two companies have teamed together to minimize accident risks for commercial truckers in North Carolina and other parts of the country. The collaboration is meant to reduce issues with driver fatigue that could contribute to serious or fatal accidents. Part of the data collected for the system developed by the companies looks at hours of service (HOS) information to produce driver safety ratings based on a red, green and yellow scale — with red indicating potential safety issues.
There are many factors that can contribute to the type of fatigue that increases the risk of commercial truck accidents. This is why the risk management system looks for signs suggesting a driver may be fatigued while also checking for behaviors that deviate from normal patterns. The reason for dual data collection is to account for variations with how drivers handle fatigue. For instance, two drivers could work similar hours and take naps for a few hours between shifts. While one of them may be just fine behind the wheel the other driver could be too tired to drive safely.
The monitoring system differs from other tech in that it’s updated every 15 minutes. Driver performance is also compared with fleet group peer behaviors. If fatigue signs such lane departures, sudden starts and stops or roll stability warnings, are detected, an alert is sent to the carrier so appropriate steps can be taken. Newer equipment for a video intelligence platform that serves a similar purpose uses enhanced video capabilities to identify primary and secondary driver risks.
When personal injuries are the result of an accident involving a commercial truck, an attorney may look for signs of negligence on the part of the driver or the trucking company. This process might involve searching through driver fatigue data or reviewing electronic logging device (ELD) stats to identify possible HOS violations.